18420. Reporting of Campaign Contributions and Expenditures of State or Local

Government Agencies

(a) Any candidate or committee that receives contributions from a state or local government agency shall report receipt of those contributions.

(b) The payment by a state or local government agency of the salary or expenses of its employees or agents is an expenditure or contribution only if the salary or expenses are for campaign activities and meet the requirements of 2 Cal. Adm. Code Section 18423. For purposes of this subsection, "campaign activities" shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1) Arranging or coordinating a campaign-related event;

(2) Acting in the capacity of the campaign manager or coordinator;

(3) Soliciting, receiving or acknowledging campaign contributions or arranging for the raising of contributions;

(4) Developing, writing or distributing campaign literature or making arrangements for campaign literature;

(5) Arranging for the development, production or distribution of campaign literature;

(6) Preparing television, radio or newspaper campaign advertisements;

(7) Arranging for the development, production, publishing or broadcast of campaign advertisements;

(8) Establishing liaison with or coordinating activities of campaign volunteers;

(9) Preparing campaign budgets;

(10) Preparing campaign statements; and

(11) Participating in partisan get out the vote drives.

Nothing in this subsection shall require the reporting of employee's campaign activities if such activities are performed on vacation time or other than during publicly paid working hours.

(c) Notwithstanding subsection (b), the payment of salary or expenses by a state or local government agency to an elected official shall not be an expenditure or contribution.

(d) If a state or local government agency makes expenditures or contributions, as those terms are defined in Government Code Sections 82015 and 82025 and 2 Cal. Adm. Code Sections 18215 and 18225, the state or local government agency shall file campaign statements required by Chapter 4 of the Political Reform Act if the agency qualifies as a committee under Government Code Section 82013.

(e) The individual authorizing or directing the making of expenditures or contributions which qualify an agency as a committee shall be the treasurer unless another individual is designated.

COMMENT: This regulation establishes the requirement for a committee to report receipt of contributions from state or local government agencies. If a state or local government agency has enough campaign activity to qualify as a committee, the state or local government agency itself will be required to file campaign statements.

Nothing in this regulation should be read as condoning or authorizing campaign-related activities by a state or local government agency. Under many circumstances, such activities may be illegal. See Penal Code Section 424; Stanson v. Mott, 17 Cal. 3d 206 (1976); People v. Sperl, 54 Cal. App. 3d 640 (1976); and People v. Battin, 77 Cal. App. 3d 635 (1978).

Note: Authority: Section 83112, Gov. Code

Reference: Sections 84200, et seq., Gov. Code

History

(1) New section filed 8-30-79; effective thirtieth day thereafter.

(2) Amendment of section heading filed 2-17-82; effective thirtieth day thereafter.